Justin B. Terry-Smith has been involved in Gay and HIV Activism since 1999. He is an Air Force 9/11 Disabled Vet. Raised in Silver Spring, MD, he now lives in Severn, MD with his husband Phil. He writes an HIV/STI Advice Column for A&U Magazine, is a Contributing writer for thebody.com, a Life Coach and an Adjunct Professor. He has earned his Doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Infectious Disease.

Justin's HIV Journal

Thursday, February 25, 2016

HIV Smart Campaign

Justin B Terry-Smith Justin's HIV Journal

Ryan Colford Founder and President

I was on Facebook when I first heard of and saw the
HIV Smart Campaign and became very curious about what was its meaning. As many HIV campaigns have become a part of
social media this HIV campaign is the first of its kind that I’ve seen since
PrEP was created. I attended photoshoots
in Baltimore and in Washington DC, both with good turn outs. The pictures are meant to be shared on all
social media including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This campaign raises awareness on how we
mentally see people with HIV and HIV itself.
While the mission is that people think smarter (hence the glasses) about
HIV, it reduces HIV stigma at the same time.
It also makes not only the target population of gay men and MSM but the
general population think about the benefits of PrEP and PEP. Working with photographer Ryan Colford was
amazing and he is amazing.

HIV Smart was created by founder and President Ryan
Colford, “to dispel ignorance because of all the disinformation still being
circulated to the public in an age of technology.
Real facts need to be known, and should be shared.”

HIV Smartis a newly developed nonprofit organization that focuses
on education about preventative methods (PrEP/PEP), education about risk
behaviors, advocating HIV testing and the importance of knowing your status.HIV Smartalso creates awareness about the
serious link between people living with HIV and depression, and last but
definitely not least, places an emphasis on fighting stigma.

The heart ofHIV
Smartcampaign is
a social media photo campaign. We encourage everyone to use their pictures
across all forms of social media from Facebook to Instagram to Twitter. The
recognizable imagery will help to raise awareness through increased visibility
and foster real intelligent conversations relaying true facts and dispelling
myths. These conversations will cover the challenges associated with the virus
and stress the importance of treating all people with dignity and compassion.

Our goals are to create multiple photo events in
each of the 50 states with a large focus on the top 5 states with the highest
transmission rates (New York, Florida, California, Georgia, and Texas). We hope
that each photo event will help educate everyone regardless of status, create
more public awareness that it’s only disease, and reinforce that shame of any
sort should never be associated with HIV. He developed the idea of forming the organization, corresponding
website, and blending it with his talents as a photographer by adding a social
media photo campaign.

Justin B Terry-Smith

Facebook Badge

About Justin B Terry-Smith

My name is Justin B Terry-Smith, I'm a Black Gay man living in Laurel, Maryland and I am HIV+. I've decided to share my story because I feel it's important that people who have unprotected sex know what they might be getting themselves into. People have asked me why I am doing this, why have I put my personal business out like this. I tell them it is to help educate people, to make them aware and to make them think twice about having unprotected sex. This is my personal journey that needs to be told to help the community.
HIV is neither glamorous or a rite of passage. Watch the Journal and think twice.
In the words of Pedro Zamora, "I'm not dying. I'm living with it"